Title

Author

Publication Date

2-1-2012

Abstract

A core idea in the collateral consequences literature is that incarceration stimulates residential instability — a process referred to as coercive mobility — which in turn weakens community social organization and elevates local crime levels. I test this idea with an exploratory cross-sectional analysis of Albuquerque neighborhoods (2000-2001) using a general linear model with a negative binomial response function. Net of rigorous controls I find that jail incarceration increases violent crime rates. Further I find that the positive effect of jail incarcerations on violent crime is weakened at relatively high levels of jail incarceration for majority Latino neighborhoods. Whereas, in non Latino neighborhoods, jail incarceration increases violent crime at relatively low levels of incarceration. By studying jail sanctions which are often shorter and for less serious crimes than prison sanctions, this study is well positioned to provide a broader snapshot of how our expansive criminal justice net has captured residents of many communities for short-term punishment that has long term consequences.